arveetek
Adventurer
Thanks! I'll have more info later on the tire carrier later, but I copied this design found here:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/95134-home-built-rear-rack-project
Casey
1995 Chevy Tahoe Diesel build thread
- Thread starter arveetek
- Start date
Thanks! I'll have more info later on the tire carrier later, but I copied this design found here:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/95134-home-built-rear-rack-project
Casey
chilliwak
Expedition Leader
Here is my rig..
Dana 60 up front. Leaf springs and dual fox shocks. 14 bolt with locker in the rear. It was a nice truck untill
https://www.bcdiesel.ca/en/
destroyed my 6.5 liter diesel...:Wow1:
:exclaim::violent-smiley-031::violent-smiley-031::violent-smiley-031:
Dana 60 up front. Leaf springs and dual fox shocks. 14 bolt with locker in the rear. It was a nice truck untill
https://www.bcdiesel.ca/en/
destroyed my 6.5 liter diesel...:Wow1:
:exclaim::violent-smiley-031::violent-smiley-031::violent-smiley-031:
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jeep-N-montero
Expedition Leader
ARVATEEK, if you are thinking of buying another truck let me know, I would rather sell my k2500 to an enthusiast than someone who is clueless about the 6.5 motor. I searched long and hard for a rust free chassis with a manual.
arveetek
Adventurer
I would love to add another 6.5L to my fleet, but it's not in the budget right now. We're actually saving up to buy another travel trailer. However, I have a friend looking for a 5 speed K2500 diesel. What year is yours?
Casey
arveetek
Adventurer
Here is my rig..
Dana 60 up front. Leaf springs and dual fox shocks. 14 bolt with locker in the rear. It was a nice truck untill
https://www.bcdiesel.ca/en/
destroyed my 6.5 liter diesel...:Wow1:
Sweet ride! I'm so sorry you're having shop troubles. Too bad we weren't closer together... I'd love to help you get it running right!
Casey
arveetek
Adventurer
The best I've seen is 18.9 mpg. Averages around 17 most of the time. That's with the all the extra gear and 33" tires as well. I have never been able to break the 19 mpg barrier, but I had a few 6.2L rigs that would.
Casey
jeep-N-montero
Expedition Leader
It's a 95 Silverado, completely rust free body, upgrades include Heath Max E-torq with Turbo-master, Diamond Eye 4 inch exhaust using a stainless ATS muffler and stainless cat with band clamps, Flowmaster crossover pipe, LS oil cooler lines, 93 lift pump, gm-8 turbo, k47 air box, 99 water pump, Kodiak fan clutch, Duramax plastic cooling fan, Auto Meter mechanical EGT and Boost gauges, recent Delco glow plugs, Ted's rebuilt injectors, and all new front and rear lights. Best of all it only has 152k miles. If it were a 4-door we would be keeping it, I built it to keep for a long time but putting a car seat in the back when we go to the lake is a pain. Feel free to forward the details to your friend, I can guarantee he will not find a nicer or better maintained truck for sale.
arveetek
Adventurer
Paddy
Adventurer
Yeah. Not bad though. Not great either. Well, maybe pretty great considering. Ever drive it over the scales? Took my f350 over scales this week and was surprised that with just me, a couple tools and half a tank of fuel I'm 8200lbs. Been trying to break the 16mpg barrier.
arveetek
Adventurer
No, never weighed it. Really should have this summer when our family of four had it loaded to the brim, including a roof top carrier, for a 9 day trip to Colorado! I probably would have been scared. Had a worst mpg recording of 11.5 mpg during the mountain driving, and a best of 18.3 mpg on the way back home to SW Missouri.
Casey
chilliwak
Expedition Leader
Thanks Casey. I might take a drive through Colorado and Montana too meet some of all the cool expo people here next summer. I just dont trust the engine anymore as I am scared that it weill let me down again. Cheers, Chilli..
portillagee
Observer
Hi OP. Any more pictures from the build process?
arveetek
Adventurer
Sorry for the delay! Life has been so crazy lately, I haven't had time to load any more pictures! Thanks for your interest, and stay tuned!
Casey
arveetek
Adventurer
New Update
Sorry for the delay in updating, I don't get much time to be on the computer except when life slows down during the winter!
So, after selling my C20 tow rig, the Tahoe was called in to do more towing duties. The stock 1/2 ton 6.5L hardware left a lot to be desired, with a restricted EGR intake manifold, questionable air filter box, and smallish exhaust. The stock radiator and cooling system wasn't up to the task of towing, either. I had managed to get my hands on a 1997 C3500 parts truck, which granted me access to the non-EGR intake manifold, better air filter assembly, and dual thermostat housing. I also pieced together a better flowing exhaust system.
First up on the exhaust upgrades - 3" turbo downpipe that was not smashed and dented like the factory pipe:
Also included was a mandrel-bent crossover pipe for the turbo that did not have all the wrinkles that the factory pipe did:
Both of those pipes were made by Flowmaster, purchased from Summit Racing. I then fabbed up a 3.5" exhaust system (no cat... former owner had already 'misplaced' it) with a Donaldson muffler that I purchased used online. (No pics of the rest of the exhaust system).
I swapped on the HD intake manifold. Here is the upper manifold; original EGR manifold on the right, and free-flowing HD intake on the left:
Free-flowing HD lower intake installed:
Upgraded 1997 air filter box (original box used a flat panel, new one is a round filter):
To keep an eye on everything, I installed an EGT and boost gauge I purchased from Kennedy Diesel:
I then ditched the problematic vacuum-controlled turbo wastegate and installed a Turbo Master mechanical wastegate:
http://www.heathdiesel.com/turbo-master-gm96.html
I was then able to remove the factory belt-driven vacuum pump, since I no longer needed vacuum for anything else. I had to get a shorter serpentine belt, and simply unbolted the vacuum pump.
The installation of the Turbo Master caused a new issue: the factory ECM did not like the fact that it could no longer control the boost, and started setting the CEL and going into "limp mode" anytime I tried to tow. A little research found that I needed to modify the ECM to fool it into thinking everything was okay. I had Kennedy Diesel build me a custom chip:
https://www.kennedydiesel.com/detail.cfm?ID=37
It helped, but still set a CEL and limp mode once in a while. I sent it back to Kennedy, who programmed it some more, and that finally fixed my issues. Now I could tow at full throttle without throwing a CEL or going into limp mode. I set the Turbo Master to 15 psi max, and the Kennedy chip also increased fuel and timing to give me a small bump in power. EGT's max out around 1150 when towing long grades.
This provided the reliable power I needed, but now I had a problem with cooling. The 6.5L is known to run hot, and mine was no exception. The factory 1995 cooling setup included a large radiator, but only one thermostat. In 1997, GM upgraded to a higher output water pump, and a dual thermostat housing to provide more water flow when the 'stats are open. (Sorry, no pictures of this upgrade.) I still haven't installed the high flow water pump, but the dual 'stats helped a good bit. But honestly, the best cooling upgrade was absolutely free: The stock fan clutch does not kick the engine fan on soon enough. You can purchase aftermarket fan clutches, but I simply bent the round, metal thermal spring slightly which forces the fan to engage at a lower temperature. It's absolutely perfect! Now the fan kicks on much sooner, keeping the engine from getting too hot.
One other item I upgraded was the fuel filter. The stock filter is pretty small and dinky, so I replaced that with a Racor system; I installed two liquid-filled pressure gauges that I plumbed before and after the filter. This lets me know if the filter is getting clogged:
I now had a very reliable and healthy 6.5L turbo diesel to tow my camper and Jeep around with.
Casey
Sorry for the delay in updating, I don't get much time to be on the computer except when life slows down during the winter!
So, after selling my C20 tow rig, the Tahoe was called in to do more towing duties. The stock 1/2 ton 6.5L hardware left a lot to be desired, with a restricted EGR intake manifold, questionable air filter box, and smallish exhaust. The stock radiator and cooling system wasn't up to the task of towing, either. I had managed to get my hands on a 1997 C3500 parts truck, which granted me access to the non-EGR intake manifold, better air filter assembly, and dual thermostat housing. I also pieced together a better flowing exhaust system.
First up on the exhaust upgrades - 3" turbo downpipe that was not smashed and dented like the factory pipe:
Also included was a mandrel-bent crossover pipe for the turbo that did not have all the wrinkles that the factory pipe did:
Both of those pipes were made by Flowmaster, purchased from Summit Racing. I then fabbed up a 3.5" exhaust system (no cat... former owner had already 'misplaced' it) with a Donaldson muffler that I purchased used online. (No pics of the rest of the exhaust system).
I swapped on the HD intake manifold. Here is the upper manifold; original EGR manifold on the right, and free-flowing HD intake on the left:
Free-flowing HD lower intake installed:
Upgraded 1997 air filter box (original box used a flat panel, new one is a round filter):
To keep an eye on everything, I installed an EGT and boost gauge I purchased from Kennedy Diesel:
I then ditched the problematic vacuum-controlled turbo wastegate and installed a Turbo Master mechanical wastegate:
http://www.heathdiesel.com/turbo-master-gm96.html
I was then able to remove the factory belt-driven vacuum pump, since I no longer needed vacuum for anything else. I had to get a shorter serpentine belt, and simply unbolted the vacuum pump.
The installation of the Turbo Master caused a new issue: the factory ECM did not like the fact that it could no longer control the boost, and started setting the CEL and going into "limp mode" anytime I tried to tow. A little research found that I needed to modify the ECM to fool it into thinking everything was okay. I had Kennedy Diesel build me a custom chip:
https://www.kennedydiesel.com/detail.cfm?ID=37
It helped, but still set a CEL and limp mode once in a while. I sent it back to Kennedy, who programmed it some more, and that finally fixed my issues. Now I could tow at full throttle without throwing a CEL or going into limp mode. I set the Turbo Master to 15 psi max, and the Kennedy chip also increased fuel and timing to give me a small bump in power. EGT's max out around 1150 when towing long grades.
This provided the reliable power I needed, but now I had a problem with cooling. The 6.5L is known to run hot, and mine was no exception. The factory 1995 cooling setup included a large radiator, but only one thermostat. In 1997, GM upgraded to a higher output water pump, and a dual thermostat housing to provide more water flow when the 'stats are open. (Sorry, no pictures of this upgrade.) I still haven't installed the high flow water pump, but the dual 'stats helped a good bit. But honestly, the best cooling upgrade was absolutely free: The stock fan clutch does not kick the engine fan on soon enough. You can purchase aftermarket fan clutches, but I simply bent the round, metal thermal spring slightly which forces the fan to engage at a lower temperature. It's absolutely perfect! Now the fan kicks on much sooner, keeping the engine from getting too hot.
One other item I upgraded was the fuel filter. The stock filter is pretty small and dinky, so I replaced that with a Racor system; I installed two liquid-filled pressure gauges that I plumbed before and after the filter. This lets me know if the filter is getting clogged:
I now had a very reliable and healthy 6.5L turbo diesel to tow my camper and Jeep around with.
Casey
Last edited: